Measure.



J. A. KIMBAL'L.

MEASURE. APPLICATION FILED APB. 19.11910.

Patented May 2, 1911.

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THE Nolenls Psrsnfs ca., wAsHlNcraN, q. c.

JOHN A. KIMBALL, OF TAYLORVILLE, ILLINOIS.

MEASURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 2, 1911.

Application filed April 19, 1910. Serial No. 556,296.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. KIMBALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Taylorville, in the county of Christian and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Measures, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an adjustable, collapsible graduated measure, the object of the invention being to provide a measure `composed of telescopic sections and having simple and effective means for holding the sections in proper relative positions for measuring various quantities, which measure may be collapsed in compact form for transportation or storage when not in actual service.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of my improved measure opened to its full extent. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken substantially in the same plane as Fig. 2 through one side of the collapsed measure- Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken on the plane indicated by the line 4-4 of Fig. 1V of one of the sections or members of the measure. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side elevation, partially broken away and partially in section, of the member shown in Fig. 4. Figs. 6, 7 and 8 are detail vertical sections, showing dierent ways of forming the flanges upon the members.

lfn carrying my invention into practice, I provide a measuring vessel comprising one or more, up to any suitable number, of cylindrical or other appropriately shaped sections, a vessel formed of four cylindrical sections l, 2, 3 and 4 being shown in the present instance, such sections gradually increasing in diameter from bottom to top to have a telescopic engagement, as shown, to enable the measure to be collapsed or extended to the depth of two or more sections within its limits for use. llhe lower or basal section 4 'is provided with a closed bottom 5, while each of the other sections is open at both top and bottom, the upper section being preferably provided with suitable handles 6 in order to enable the measure to be conveniently manipulated and transported.

The bottom section and each intermediate section have at their upper edges each an outwardly extending annular flange 7, while the top section and each intermediate section have each an inwardly extending annular bottom flange 8, which flanges 7 and 8 of the several sections are adapted to contact to limit the opening movement of the vessel or of such sections as are extended to an open position. In practice, the sections may have similar or varying independent measuring capacities, so that by the use of the bottom section alone, or such section in conjunction with one or more of the other sections, any amount of material within the limit of the measure as a wholer may be measured out. rlhe bottom section and each intermediate section are provided at diametrically opposite sides or at suitable intervals around their opposite surfaces with vertical guide and stop posts or ribs 9, extending practically the full depth thereof, and each of said sections is also provided below the respective guide bars or ribs with horizontal stop members 10 disposed in spaced relation thereto, the spaces between the bars and stop members being sufficient for the free reception and passage of the flanges 8 when the sections are telescoped or collapsed.

The ribs 8 of the several upper sections of the vessel are provided with slots 11 equal in number to the sets of guide posts or ribs 9 and adapted to register therewith, so that by adjusting the sections to bring the slots into alinement withv the underlying posts, Jthe sections may be slid downward or collapsed upon one another, or if said sections are closed, may be elevated to extend the vessel to its full opening capacity or any direction thereof. When the sections are elevated .or opened, by simply adjusting them so that the slots 11 will be out of reglstry tions of the flanges 8 will rest upon the upper ends of the ribs and thereby support and hold the sections in an open position, while the flanges 7 will act as stops to prevent outward withdrawal of the sections from one another. When the sections are collapsed, the flanges 8 will lie betweenthe ribs 9 and stops 10 and by adjusting them to move the slots 11 out of registry with the ribs, the sections will be held in an obvious manner from opening movement on one another, while the stops 10 will lie in the path of the flanges 8 and prevent separation of the sections from one another on their closing movement.

It will be apparent :trom the foregoing description that the measure may be adjusted for the use of one or more of its sections, by

which any amount of a commodity wit-hin 'the measuring capacity of the Vessel may be measured out, and that the device may be collapsed, as shown in Fig. 3, so that it may be compactly packed for transportation or storage when not in use.

If desired, the guide posts of one or more sections may be separated into divisions of Vany kind by transverse slots or passages 12,

so that the flange 8 of any section may be adjusted partway down or up upon the flange of a cooperative section, to diminish the extent of projection of any section accordingly, so that its measuring capacity may be diminished in like ratio, by which construction the vessel may be given a wider variability of adjustment for measuring.

In order to provide for the accurate rotary adjustment ofthe sections upon each other, as well as to prevent the sections from being turned too far in either direction, I provide the top section and each of' the intermediate sections with stop lugs 13 and 14 applied to the flange 8 at the opposite sides of each slot 11, the inner face of the lug 13 being flush with the adjacent end of the slot, while the lug 14 is disposed a sufficient distance beyond the opposite end wall of the slot to adapt the intervening portion 15 of the flange 8 to form the supporting surface to rest upon the post 9 of the underlying section.

By this construction, it will be understood that when it is desired to collapse any one section upon another, the upper sect-ion of the two considered is turned until the stop 13 abuts against the post 9 of' the lower section of' the two, when the post will be in direct register with the slot so that it can pass through it. In opening or extending one section upon another, the relatively upper section is adjusted upwardly upon the relatively lower one, or the lower section pulled down while the upper one is held fixed, the

lpost in this operation sliding in contact with Ythe stop 13 and through the slot 11, and

when the flange 8 passes above the top of the post 9 one or the other of said sections is turned to bring the stop 14 intocontact with the post, whereupon the portion 15 of said yFlange 8 will be brought into position to rest upon the post, thus supporting the upper section 'upon the low-er one. It will be seen that the said stops 13 also serve as gages to indicate the operative position of any one section upon the other and accordingly facilitate their adjustment, and that they prevent any section from being turned outwardly beyond a collapsing or supporting position. The horizontal stop 10 of the bottom section and each intermediate section has one of its ends flush with the side of the post -engaged by the stop 13, and projects suiiiciently beyond the opposite side of the post for cooperation with the portion 15 of the flange S of' the section movable thereon to limit the collapsing movement of the latter.

As shown in Figs. 1 to G, inclusive, the anges 7 and 8 may be integral with the sections and formed b f portions of the metal bent at right angles thereto. In Fig. 7 I have shown the flanges formed by strips 7a and 3b of wood or metal secured to the sections. In Fig. 8 I have shown the flange 7" formed by a metallic strip secured to a partially circular wire-reinforccd bead,`wl1ile the flange 8b is formed by a closed or circular wire-reinforced bead. These and other modes of making the flanges may be employed as may be deemed most advisable.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode of use of my improved adjustable graduated collapsible measure will be readily understood, and it willY be seen that it provides a device of this character which is not only simple of construction and may be inexpensively manufactured, but. which through its capacity for a variable adjustment is rendered of greater convenience and advantage to the user in measuring out different quantities of goods.

Having described the invention, I claim 1. A measuring vessel comprising a plurality of' collapsible sections, said sections being provided with cooperating stop flanges, guide posts upon some of the sections, and stop devices upon some of the sections and beneath said posts, certain of said fianges being provided with slots for passage of the posts for permitting adjustment of said sections on each other.

2. A measuring vessel comprising a bottom section having an outwardly extending stop flange at its upper edge, vertically disposed guide posts and stops beneath the posts, and a coacting section having an inwardly extending flange at its lower edge provided with slots to clear said posts whereby said section may be adjusted on the bottom section and locked in open and closed position thereon.

3. A measuring vessel comprising coperating sections, one of' said sections being provided with an outwardly extending flange at its upper edge, vertical guide posts beneath said flange, and stop devices beneath said posts, said anges being transversely divided, and a coperating section movable on the first-named section, and having inwardly extending flanges provided with slots for passage of the posts, whereby said movable section may be adjusted upon the first-named section and locked in positions.

a plurality of adjusted 10 sections, and stop devices on said sections beneath said posts, the said inwardly extending flanges of the sections being provided with slots for travel on the posts.

In testimony whereof I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. KIMBALL.

lVitnesses:

HENRY A. BURoHFmLD, JOHN B. CoLnGRovE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

